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Notes
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This evocative painting of ships in grave danger is dominated by a vast, cloudy sky. In the background heavy, dark clouds gather momentum as they swirl down towards the sea. This mass of cloud is emphasized by the accompanying patches of golden light which illuminate the sky in the upper corners of the composition. In this theatrical and dramatic painting, three Dutch ships are portrayed in three stages of peril. In the water, on the right, two large ships sail perilously close to the rugged coast and a third, which is sinking, has been dashed on the rocks amidst the raging foam. The wind whips the sea into broad waves which erupt into chalky white spume against the dun-coloured coast. The modest size of the ships, particularly in comparison with the colossal scale of the natural elements, is especially striking.
This painting follows an established narrative for paintings of shipwrecks. In such scenes the state of a vessel which has been shattered on the rocky shore as a consequence of the overwhelming force of nature serves as a warning to others which sail close to the jagged cliffs and would no doubt have encouraged reflections in a contemporary viewer. If the ships represent mankind then the treacherous cliffs nearby may represent life’s ever-present perils.
Title
Shipwreck off a Rocky Coast
Date
c.1660
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 80 x W 104.5 cm
Accession number
BHC0921
Work type
Painting
